Tena koutou te whānau o te kura Muritai
Did you see the story on 15 February about homework (DomPost/TV3 news)?
We know from past surveys that our community have diverse views on the nature and practices of homework.
The DomPost and TV3 story said some prominent Wellington schools had stopped providing homework sheets. Instead the schools encouraged parents to be more involved with their child's learning. The story is at the end of the newsletter.
Professor Hattie, an expert in education assessment (Visible Learning, 2008) suggests that homework makes little difference to student achievement, with an impact within the range of “what would happen anyway” (in other words if nothing special was done). That’s not to suggest that homework is harmful to learning. On the harmful side, he notes that watching television more than 10 hours per week regresses learning, and that changing schools has the biggest negative impact of the 138 factors he investigated.
So what makes the biggest difference?
Hattie suggests that home factors like parental involvement, and things like books and computers available at home make a measureable difference. These were ranked at about number 30 or 40 on his list of 138 influences. Unsurprisingly various aspects of effective teaching and learning take up much of those things at the top of his ranked list of what makes the biggest difference in lifting student achievement. His number one item? the thing that makes the biggest difference…. is when students set their own goals and targets.
Our point is though, looking at Hattie’s list, is that it is very difficult to isolate just one effect from the range of influences in a student’s life. Of the things that parents can directly influence, parental engagement is very important and high up there at around 30-40 on Hattie’s list.
The Ministry’s research supports this. Students setting their own meaningful targets in an environment that challenges them, includes what happens at school and what happens at home. So doing homework, and parents monitoring homework by itself does not make a significant difference, but what happens around homework can, as it gives you ideas to discuss with your child. So like the DomPost story said, get involved with what your children are learning, discuss it with them, and discover together. Our homework and class blogs give you a window into what your children are learning – find out about it, and take the journey with your child – and discuss with your child’s teacher – they understand how you contribute to the mix.
Our teachers aim to set meaningful homework that reinforces learning and gives you that insight to what your children have been doing and what they are able to do (or are working towards). It provides some ideas about what children are learning. Teachers review homework, not daily but regularly, and it is a way for you to engage with the teacher also. If you have concerns about the nature of the homework, please raise that with your child’s teacher.
If its difficult to find time to fit homework in, discuss with your child’s teacher. And create the dialog with your children in some other way.
Links to the stories are included below.
Ma te wa (until next time)
Muritai School Board of Trustees
board@muritai.school.nz
“What makes a difference” references:
Ministry of Education http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/series/2515/5947
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/3327534/Throw-out-homework-let-kids-read-comics-principal
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/3332254/More-schools-rethink-homework
Throw out the homework and let kids read comics, says city principal (DomPost 15 Feb)
Wellington schools are scrapping traditional homework methods, instead telling pupils to read comics and the backs of cereal packets to improve reading skills.
They also suggest pupils improve their spelling by doing crosswords and playing board games but warn that parents should not rely solely on school lessons to improve the children's achievement in maths.
The move has been backed by education expert Professor John Hattie, who says he has found "zero evidence" that homework helps to improve time management or study skills.
In a letter to parents, Karori Normal School principal Diane Leggett pointed to research that suggested homework had no positive impact. "In fact, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest the opposite."
From this year the school had stopped providing homework sheets for pupils. Instead the school encouraged parents to be more involved with their child's learning.
"Encourage your child's imagination and creativity – you will do more than any homework or extra-tuition programme ever could. Turn off the TV/games console during the week. Let them play. Talk with them. Share with them.
"It doesn't matter what your child reads as long as they get a balance of reading to you, reading with you and reading for themselves. Books, magazines, comics, newspapers, model aeroplane instructions, the back of the Weet-Bix packet ... whatever, it doesn't matter. As long as your child is doing something that they are interested in, they will read it, enjoy it and be all the happier and better off for it."
They could also improve spelling by doing crosswords and word puzzles or playing board games like Scrabble.
Mrs Leggett warned that if pupils were struggling with maths, parents could not rely solely on school lessons to improve a child's achievement.
She told The Dominion Post yesterday that feedback from parents had been "very positive". "In fact, we have had no negative feedback at all. We feel that there is no point in giving children homework just for the sake of it. Learning should be fun and that's what we will be focusing on."
She was aware of similar moves at Ngaio and Seatoun schools.
Professor Hattie, from Auckland University, said homework worked for some pupils but for most it was a waste of time. If schools did give homework, he recommended no longer than five minutes a night.
"I applaud schools for taking this approach and I hope others follow what they have done. It's far more important to have interaction with parents, rather than spending hours on some project."
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